Chinese man sentenced in honey scam

A Chinese man has been sentenced to time served — about 17 months — for his part in a scheme to import honey from China to the U.S. and avoid paying import tariffs on it.

Boa Zhong Zhang, who worked for 20 years for a Chinese bee products company, was sentenced for conspiracy to enter goods into the U.S. through false statements and to smuggle goods into the U.S,, and introduction of adulterated foods into interstate commerce.

He will likely be deported and will likely be placed in immigration detention.

According to a plea agreement, Zhang was asked to ship honey through the Philippines to avoid import tariffs.

The honey was labeled as a product of the Philippines, then shipped to the U.S.

Zhang later met with Chung Po Liu, a Bellevue businessman whose companies imported and sold honey.

According the plea agreement, Zhang, at Liu’s request, arranged for 21 shipments of falsely labeled honey. The honey, shipped through the Philippines and Thailand, was valued at $1.6 million.

Liu avoided tariffs of $2.9 million.

One shipment was contaminated with ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic not permitted in the food supply.

Liu pleaded guilty last month and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 29.